To the Editor: Board chair supports McBride

October 30, 2008

To the Editor:

I support the re-election of Sheriff Jim McBride. I would like to address concerns raised by both opponents of Sheriff Jim McBride. The Sheriff’s Department and the jail have both been under budget for the past two years. Managing the facilities like this is a remarkable achievement given the economic climate and chronic jail overcrowding. The sheriff department’s staff has done a great job of holding down costs and achieving efficiency in operations. Sheriff McBride deserves credit for bringing about this fiscal discipline.

Sheriff McBride has also been a leader in trying to solve the jail overcrowding issue. As chairman of the Jail Technical Committee, Sheriff McBride has worked hard to integrate suggestions from the Citizen’s Jail Committee into jail operations. The Citizens Jail Committee has met many times over the past two years and has been instrumental in developing the Sheriff’s work camp concept. The work camp is a successful result of Jim McBride’s leadership. During November the Citizen’s Jail Committee will review several proposals for solutions to the jail including new construction, renovation of the existing jail, and looking at renovating existing empty buildings in the industrial park. Sheriff McBride has been supportive of the Citizen’s Jail Committee activities. I ask you to help Sheriff McBride continue these and other efforts with your vote Nov. 4.